Brake slack-adjuster.



No. 696,522. Patented Apr. l, |902.

` H. A. wAHLEm.

BRAKE SLACK ADJUSTER.

(Application lecl Aug. 3, 1901.)

(No Model.)`

INVENTO j@ l x/ 2%21@ 'mt nomma P:T:n s co, rnofauwo.. wAsHmnTuN, u. c.

IUNi'frnn Sterns Patient Ormea.

HENRY A. VAIILERT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN BRAKE COMPANY, OF S'I. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

BRAKE SLACKGADJUSTER.

SPECEFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,522, dated April 1, 1902. Application niet August 3,1901. sel-nino. 70,754. numana To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. WAHLERT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented or discovered a certain new and useful Improvement in Brake Slack-Adjusters, of which improvement the following is a specification.

My invention relates to slack-adjusters for 1o railway-brakes, and has for its object to provide an improved construction of take-up mechanism adapted to be supported on the head of the brake-cylinder.

My invention comprises a tubular adjusting-screw and a support upon which the screw is rotatably mounted, secured to the head of the brake-cylinder.

It also consists in certain combinations and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more 2o fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal section of a brake-cylinder head, showing one form of my improved construction secured thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line m a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing a modification of my improvement. Fig. et is a transverse section taken on the line y y of Fig. 3;- and Fig. is a plan View of a brakego cylinder and cylinder-levers, showing my improvement applied thereto.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the brake-cylinder 1 is provided with a long cylindrical extension 2, cast integral therewith, and on this 3 5 cylindrical extension is rotatably mounted the tubular adjusting-screw 3, having the ratchetwheel 8 secured thereon. The ratchetcasing 6 may also be cast integral With the cylinder-head and is provided With a cover 4o 7, which is secured to the casing outside of the ratchet-Wheel, so that the side of the ratchet-Wheel bears against the inner side of said cover, thus holding the screw against longitudinal movement. The interiorly-threaded fulcrum-block 11 is mounted on the screw 3 and has oppositely-projecting pins 5, on which the bifurcated end of the dead cylinder-lever 18 is pivoted.

In Figs. 3,4, and 5 I have shown the cylin- 5o drical support 2"L provided With a circular base 1G and flanges 15, by which it may be bolted to a suitable lug on the head ofthe brake-cylinder- In this case the ratchet casing or cover 6*L is secured tothe base 16.

For operating the ratchetwheel I have shown a take-up motor 9, having piston 11, piston-stem 14, pawl 12, and spring 13, supported on the ratchet-casing; but it is to be understood that my invention is not limited to any particular form of take-up motor, nor 6o do I claim this specific form of take-up motor in this application, as it is included in the subject-matter covered by another copending application, Serial No. 70,753, iiled of even date herewith.

I have illustrated my device as applied to the ordinary form of passenger-car brake-rigging, having brake-cylinder 20, cylinder-1evers 18 and 19, and the head of the brakecylinder being provided with seat 10 for the 7o triple valve of the air-brake system.

I/Vhen the brakes are applied and the piston of the brake-cylinder moves beyond the point at which the'pressure-pipe 17 is connected, the piston 11 of the take-up motor will be 75 actuated by air from the brake-cylinder and the paWl 12 will engage with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 8. Then when the brakes are released the spring 13 will return the piston and pawl to the normal position, thus revolv- 8o ing the screw 3 and causing the fulcrum-block of the cylinder-lever 18 to be adjusted. This operation is repeated as often as necessary to maintain a constant travel of the piston of the brake'cylinder. 85

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a brake slack-adjuster, the combination with a brake-cylinder head having' a sup- 9o port secured thereto, of a tubular adjusting-Y screw rotatably mounted upon said support, said screw having a ratchet Wheel and a threaded fulcrunrblock.

2. In a brake slack-adjuster, the combination with a tubular adjustingscrew and a support on which said screw is rotatably mounted adapted to be secured to the head of the brake-cylinder, oi' a threaded fulcrum--block,

a ratchet-wheel secured to said screw and roo means for operating said ratchet-wheel.

3. In a brake slack-adjuster, the combinamovable fulcrum-block, and a support on which said screw is rotatably mounted.

G. In a brake slack-adjuster, the combination with a brake-cylinder head having a support extending therefrom, of a hollow adjusting-screw sleeved upon said support and having a movable fulcrum-block and a ratchet device for operating said. screw.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HENRY A. XVAIILERT.

Witnesses:

JAs. B. MACDONALD, E. A. WRIGHT. 

